Stock-chute.



PATENTEDMAY 15, 1906.

W. S. GILLBLAN D.

STOCK GHUTE. APPLICATION I'ILED JAN. 4, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

7 wmnzssrs;

muamo ANDllW. I, mum 00.. mm-Llrmwmns. wAsnmmam u. c.

PATENTED MAY 15, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNSSESJ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIOE WILSON S. GILLELAND, OF WIOHITA,

KANSAS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF ONE-HALF TO ED M. MARKEL, SR, OF DES MOINES, IOWA, AND ONE-HALF TO EDGAR B. GILLELAND, OF ST.

LOUIS, MISSOURI.

STOCK-CHUTE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 15, 1906.

Application filed January 4, 1905. Serial No. 239,680.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WrLsoN S. GILLELAND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Wichita, in the county of Sedgwick and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stock-Chutes, of which the following is a specification.

The primary intent of this invention is to devise novel actuating means for simultaneously operating a vertically-movable platform and side guards of a cattle-chute, although so far as the novelty resides in the operating means the latter may be applied to kindred parts in any relation.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire aknowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings.

While the invention may be adapted to different forms and conditions by changes in the structure and minor details without dearting from the spirit or essential features thereof, still the preferred embodiment thereof is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a stock-chute embodying the invention, showing the same in connection with a stock-car, the platform be ing lowered and the side guards swung outward into position. Fig. 2 is an end view of the upper portion of the chute, the full lines showing the position of the parts when the side guards are open and the dotted lines showing the relation of the parts when the side guards are closed. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the chute, showing the side portion of a stock-car. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the actuating mechanism for operating the platform and guards. Fig. 5 is a vertical central section of the parts shown in Fig. 4.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The stock-chute is indicated at 1 and may be of any construction and is provided at its upper end with a platform 2 and side guards when lowered forms a continuation of the floor of the chute and bridges the space between it and the car and enables cattle to pass safely thereover. The side guards 3 when swung outward form, in effect, a continuation of the sides of the chute and close the space between the latter and the car, thereby com elling the cattle to pass from one to the ot er, according as the car is loading or being emptied. The platform and guards may be of any construction which will insure the attainment of the desired ends.

The stock-chute, as is usual, terminates in a stand 4, which in the present instance is covered to form a platform 5, upon which the operator may stand when manipulating the actuating mechanism either to open or close the parts 2 and 3. A shaft 6 is journaled in bearings attached to the upper rear crosspiece of the stand and is provided with a crank 7 and arms 8, the latter being attached to the end portions ofthe shaft and the crank 7 being preferably near an end thereof, so as to be out of the way. Rods or bars 9 connect the arms 8 with the ends of the platform 2 in such a manner as to compel opening and closing of said platform, according as the shaft 6 is moved in one or the other direction.

A shaft 10 is journaled in bearings 1 1, forming a part of a bracket or framework 12, attached to the upper rear cross-piece of the stand 4, said shaft having a crank-arm 13, which is oonnecteohby means of a rod or bar 14, with the crank 7 to im art movement thereto. A bevel-gear 16 is ast upon the inner end of shaft 10 and meshes with a companion bevel-gear 17, fast to the lower end of a hollow shaft 18, provided at its upper end with hand-wheel 19. The shaft 18 is mounted in a bearing 20 of the bracket or frame 12. By rotating the shaft 18 either to the right or to the left by means of the hand-wheel 19 the corresponding movement is imparted to the shaft 10 through the bevel-gearing 16 and 17 and is transmitted from shaft 10 to shaft 6 through the connections herein described, thereby causing the platform 2 either to open or close, as may be required.

The side guards 3 may either to stand apart a short distance at their inner vertical edges when closed or to meet and arehinged or pivoted, so as to swing horizontally. A lever 21, pivoted midway of its ends to the upper rear cross-piece of the stand 4, has its terminal ortions connected to the respective guards y means of links or rods 22. A turning of the lever 21 in one direction causes the guards to swing open, and a movement in the opposite direction compels the guards to close. For imparting movement to the lever 21 the following means have been devised:

A shaft 23 is mounted within the shaft 18 and is provided at its upper end with a handwheel 24 and at its lower end with a bevelgear 25, which is in meshing relation with a evel-gear 26, fast to the inner end of a shaft 27 journaled in bearing 28, extended from the bracket or frame 12. A crank-arm 29, at the outer end of shaft 27 is connected, by means of a rod or bar 30, with the lever 21. A rotary movement of the shaft 23 either to the right or to the left imparts a corresponding movement to the shaft 27, which through the connections herein stated imparts a movement to the lever 21, so as to effect an opening or closing of the guards as the exie gencies of the case may require.

By having the shafts 23 and 18 in axial alinement and concentrically arranged a compact structure is provided, and the actuating mechanism may be more conveniently and advantageously operated and the number of bearings and parts are reduced to the smallest amount possible.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a verticallyswinging platform and a horizontally-swinging guard or the like, of a horizontal crankshaft provided at its ends with arms, rods connecting said arms with opposite sides of the platform, a vertically-rocking lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends, means for connecting the ends of said lever with the respective guards, two concentric shafts adapted to be independently operated, two independent shafts at right angles to said concentric shafts and each having crank-arms, gearing respectively connecting each of said lastnamed shafts with one of the concentric shafts, a rod 30 connecting one of said crank arms to the vertically-rocking lever, and a rod 14 connecting the other of said crankarms with the crank of the first-mentioned shaft.

2. The combination with a verticallyswinging platform and horizontally-swinging guards or the like, of a horizontal crank-shaft provided at its ends with arms, rods connecting said arms with opposite sides of the platform, a vertically-rocking lever fulcrumed intermediate its ends, means for connecting the ends of said lever with the respective guards, two concentric shafts adapted to be independently operated, two independent shafts at right angles to said concentric shafts and at ri ht angles to each other, and each having cran -arms, gearing respectively connecting each of said last-named shafts with one of the concentric shafts, a rod 30 connecting one of said crank-arms to the vertically-rocking lever, and a rod 14 connecting the other of said crank-arms with the crank of the first-mentioned shaft.

3. In a stock-chute or similar device, the combination with a vertically-swinging platform and horizontally-swim ing *doors or guards of a horizontal crank-s aft 6 provided at its ends with arms 8 and rods 9 connecting said arms with the platform, a lever 21 operatively connected with the guards to open and close the same, two concentric shafts arran ed to be independently rotated, and two shafts 10 and 27 mounted at right angles to each other and each provided at one end with a pinion meshing with a similar pinion on the respective concentric shafts and at the other end with a crank-arm, one of said crank-arms being connected with the crank of the shaft 6 and the other of said crank-arms being operatively connected with the lever 21.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILSON S. GILLELAND. 

